But what values do they present to supersede those of the barbarians?
What do you think?
No, I was seeking the opposite. That's what "devil's advocate" is all about, advocating stuff you don't believe in as an aid to developing arguments against them.
I'm fairly eloquent in English and understand the term very well.
I was seeking answers from people like you, who might share the feelings of their heart and the reasons in their head to oppose such terrorism. I had no idea that you didn't get what I was doing and thus would respond with a personal attack.
It was not meant to be a personal attack, rather a direct response.
There are things that need to be answered and there are ones than are entirely useless.
If you wanted to discuss impartially, I'll take your word for it.
Exactly WHY are Pakistanis supposed to fight this creeping Talibanization?
Because they do not represent our cultural and social values and are a group of extremists who hold twisted, bigoted and irrational religious dogmas that are not compatible with our society and to our people. We have an evolving state structure of our own, we do not need a group of self styled religious revolutionaries to show us the "righteous path".
Are Pakistanis not Muslims?
There are 1.5 Billion Muslims in the world. Less than 1% of the Taliban. Being a Muslim does not and should not suggest empathy for the Taliban and in no way is suggestive of having sympathies for terrorists who blow up civilians.
Aren't all Pakistanis supposed to be seeking the same goals the Taliban are?
What are the goals of the Taliban? Establishment of an "Islamic Emirate", export of their "ideology", oppression of women, moral policing and use of violence to spread their ideology.
Pakistan has never been an "Islamic Emirate" and a majority does not wish for such a political entity. A moderate role of religion in the state apparatus is envisaged by most. Nearly 1/3rd of the people support a secular state, most support a state the abides by religious principles but have no ideological leanings about the role of religion in the state apparatus.
Even with the brutal treatment of women in Pakistan, never have women been forced to cover themselves from head to toe and never has anybody though about limiting their right to wash clothes by the river either. Such things are unimaginable in Pakistan, even after society has become more religious especially the urban middle class' increasing religiosity.
Pakistan has never supported moral policing of any kind. The "Hasba Bill" was declared unconstitutional by our Supreme Court not on religious grounds but on various constitutional guarantees of freedom.
PS: Christian Fundamentalists represent a small group in the US but are highly vocal and talk about "Christian values" and try to hijack the founding ideology of the US as being based on "Christian principles". Does this suggest a lack of separation between state and religion in the US?
If the Taliban are doing so, only more aggressively, then why shouldn't Pakistanis side with the Taliban?
Death of >30,000 Pakistanis and an economic loss amounting to around 30 Bn USD is large enough a reason to recognize their brutality, reject their ideology and hunt them down.
Won't that save the Pakistani populace from further bombings and casualties?
The earlier peace negotiations did not work either. The Taliban never abided by the guarantees and promises during their rule in Afghanistan either and nothing better can be expected of barbarians and inhumane militants.